Energy storage devices, including batteries and capacitors, are used in electronic devices and operations. In particular, capacitors of various types are frequently used in devices and applications such as electrical circuitry, power delivery, voltage regulation, and battery replacement. Through ongoing development, several capacitor types have emerged. For example, electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), also referred to as ultracapacitors, are characterized by high energy storage and power density, small size, and low weight. Such devices have thus become promising candidates for use in several applications including rechargeable batteries.
Porous materials, such as porous carbon and silicon have been considered for use as electrode substrates in energy storage devices due to their ability to provide large surface areas. These materials can hold charge carriers such as lithium. Certain conductive materials could be desirable for use with such porous substrates. However, in many cases the addition of a selected material to the substrate in order to achieve certain advantages may also present a number of disadvantages. For example, some materials such as lithium may provide high specific charge capacities and energy densities, but may cause instability of the substrate. As such, research efforts into energy storage devices and related materials continue.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation is thereby intended.